Media Contact

District Attorney Michael O’Keefe hosted a conference in collaboration with Building Partnerships for the Protection of Persons with Disabilities Initiative (BPI).

The conference opened this morning at the Hyannis Resort and Conference Center and will continue tomorrow at 9 am. District Attorney O’Keefe will open the conference again tomorrow.

Today’s session focused on law enforcement and building a case when a person with a disability is a victim. Tomorrow will focus on First Responders and social service personnel and their important role in the coordinated continuum of those involved in dealing with the population of those serviced by the Disabled Persons Protection Commission. Assistant District Attorneys, State Police, local police and service professionals all participated in this training.

The purpose of the conference is to ensure that all agencies, the Department of Developmental Services, the Department of Mental Health, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and law enforcement agencies all work together and understand what the other agencies are doing.

Second Assistant District Attorney Sharon Thibeault presented at the Conference. A.D.A. Thibeault has significant experience in dealing with these complex cases. Assistant District Attorney Michael Donovan also gave a presentation on competency and criminal responsibility issues.

In his remarks this morning District Attorney O’Keefe said, “The character of a society is determined by what it does for its most vulnerable.”